Gifford back at New Road after a 30-year absence

Former England slow left-armer Norman Gifford has rejoined Worcestershire after a 30-year absence as the county’s new part-time bowling coach.

Gifford played for Worcestershire from 1960 to 1982 and captained them to the County Championship title in 1974.

He left for local rivals Warwickshire in 1983 and ended his playing career at Edgbaston in 1988 before he moved into coaching first with Sussex then with Durham. More recently he has coached at Ardingly College in Sussex.

Gifford has recently moved back to the Worcestershire area and has been brought back into the county set-up by director of cricket Steve Rhodes.

Following the departure of batting and fielding coach Ben Smith to Leicestershire, Rhodes has reshuffled his coaching team. Damian D’Oliveira, who was in charge of the county’s spinners, is now doing more work with the batsmen and Rhodes has taken on some of Smith’s fielding coach responsibilities.

“We have rejigged our workloads in the coaching department and moved Norman in the look after the spinners, while Damian will be doing more work with the batsmen,” Rhodes said.

Gifford will continue his involvement with Worcestershire into the season when he will divide his time between the first and second teams looking after off-spinner Moeen Ali, slow left-armer Shaaiq Choudry and leg-spinner Brett D’Oliveira, the three spin bowlers on Worcestershire’s professional staff.